The things you put aside in case they come in useful. I put nearly everything aside which brings complaints and chiding. Your basket twine has now justified the habit even it is not used to repair a basket. I find it hard to discard the packaging of every day products into which much thought and design skill has been put. Recycling makes a lot of sense and will do more in the future.

Joe, we are packrats here at Chez Rathje! I once had this pretty basket with some red and green patterns, its edge frayed apart in time so I gathered this to mend it but obviously never did and said basket is gone. I too feel bad throwing stuff out but sometimes one just must. If still usable we donate a lot to charities. And sometimes, if it is interesting, I save for possible art works :-)

A simple piece of basket twine hand made and coloured only by nature is a profound testament to the lost arts of our time. Maybe you should hold and scan it again, my friend.

Susan, that may be another reason for my saving it. You are not bored with my hand yet? Okay, I scanned it again and now you can see the scale of the twine.

Oh, that's wonderful. You have lovely hands, delicate yet strong, and I thank you for the image.

Susan, thanks for the compliment, and for asking! I think this image might even find a place in the next set of prints.

Marja-Leena, we too are packrats, but at present we are clearing up a recently suddenly deceased relative's home, and when we return to ours my instinct is to get rid of so much of it! We won't of course, but I must try.

Of course it is good to make most use of everything on its way through, and I am so glad that Susan asked for you to scan your hand holding the twine. I just love the way that the lines on the twine echo the lines on your hand - and how the ovals of your nails echo the oval formed by the twine. Somehow I find this image more positive and active than your other hand scans. These hand scans of yours have really got me thinking. Thank you.

Olga, I'm sorry you have experienced a loss in your family. I know how much work it is to clear away the belongings, and it does remind one that we need to do some of it ourselves and not leave it all to our children or others. We're not making much headway there yet.

Thanks so much for your lovely observations on the hand with twine image!